[CTC] Labor chief rebukes Obama in letter

[Arthur Stamoulis]

Two articles below…

POLITICO
AFL-CIO chief blisters Obama on trade

By Adam B. Lerner 

6/10/15 3:12 PM EDT
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka slammed the Obama administration in an open letter <http://images.politico.com/global/2015/06/10/afl-cio-letter-to-obama.html>, saying that the president has falsely characterized the labor movement as opposed to trade in all circumstances.

“You have repeatedly isolated and marginalized labor and unions as the only opponents of fast track and TPP,” Trumka wrote in the letter, which was dated Monday. TPP is a 12-country trade agreement that Obama has made a top priority and a pillar of his Asia policy.

Trumka boasted of a “broad, deep, and intellectually impressive” set of allies joining his organization in opposing the president’s push for so-called fast-track authority, which would allow him to negotiate the deal and send it to Congress for a straight up-or-down vote.

“I take particular exception to your charge that the labor movement is ‘opposed to trade on principle.’,” Trumka added. “To the contrary, we have supported trade deals when warranted, such as the U.S.-Jordan trade agreement.”

“What we do not support are trade deals that benefit Wall Street, but decimate Main Street.”

The remarks specifically referred to a statement <http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1504/17/lvab.01.html> made by President Barack Obama in April that many of those in his party opposed the TPP “because the unions, on principle, regardless of what the provisions are, are opposed to free trade.”

The AFL-CIO and other leading labor groups have led the charge against fast track, pushing some in the Democratic Party to oppose Obama’s request and threatening to back primary challengers for those in Congress who vote for the measure.

The White House counters that it would be impossible to reach an agreement in earnest with the other Pacific countries with the looming threat of Congress seriously altering it before passage, while many on the left believe that they are being asked to hand Obama a blank check without ensuring that the deal will meet their needs.

The Senate voted to grant Obama fast-track authority last month, despite significant Democratic opposition including from leading liberal Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and the House is set to vote on such authority soon.

Trumka emphasized at the beginning of the letter that his opposition to fast-track authority did not negate his pride in having campaigned for Obama in 2008 and 2012. But, the AFL-CIO president said, his organization would like to see an overhaul of U.S. trade policy that has persisted through Republican and Democratic presidencies.

“Our goal is to ensure that as trade expands, growth is inclusive and prosperity is shared,” Trumka wrote. “Unfortunately, current trade policies have achieved the opposite.”



http://thehill.com/policy/finance/244584-labor-chief-rips-obama-spin-on-trade <http://thehill.com/policy/finance/244584-labor-chief-rips-obama-spin-on-trade>
 
Labor chief rebukes Obama in letter
 
The Hill
By Vicki Needham
June 10, 2015
 
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka this week sent President Obama a five-page letter slamming his push for fast-track trade authority, arguing labor unions have been treated unfairly throughout the process.

Trumka railed against Obama in the letter, which was sent on Monday, asserting that he has “repeatedly isolated and marginalized labor and unions as the only opponents of fast track” and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

"I am sure you are aware, however, that the critics of the current TPP encompass a broad, deep, and intellectually impressive swath of public opinion," Trumka wrote in the letter, which was obtained by The Hill and first reported by The Washington Post.

Saying he wanted to “correct the record,” the leader of the labor federation said he took “particular exception” to statements that Obama has made about labor unions opposing trade on principle.

"I would ask that you not mischaracterize our positions and views — even in the heat of a legislative battle," Trumka wrote.

Trumka, who said in his letter that he was “proud” to have campaigned for the president twice, said unions have supported trade in the past when “warranted,” citing the example of the U.S.-Jordan free trade pact in 2000. 

He highlighted labor's long-standing chief complaint — that the White House and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) have virtually ignored the AFL-CIO’s ideas to improve TPP and global trade rules.

"Our efforts have largely been rebuffed," Trumka wrote. "Rather than engaging in a real dialogue with us about reforming the trade model and making changes to reflect our concerns, USTR's primary response has been to change its talking points. This is not engagement, it is public relations spin."

The U.S. Trade Representative's office has argued that during Obama's tenure the dialogue over trade deals have been opened up to include more suggestions from labor unions.

“Our current trade policies need serious and deep reform — not just tweaks around the edges,” Trumka said. 

Trumka pointed to the African Growth and Opportunity Act, the Generalized System of Preferences and reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank as trade efforts that the labor federation supports.

“What we do not support are trade deals that benefit Wall Street and decimate Main Street,” he wrote. 

Trumka has joined forces with other labor unions as well as environmental and religious groups in a full-court press against oppose fast-track legislation, which is speeding toward a vote in the House on Friday.

"Our goal is to ensure that as trade expands, growth is inclusive and prosperity is shared," Trumka wrote. "Unfortunately, current trade policies have achieved the opposite: While the U.S. economy continues to grow, the share going to working families is shrinking."

The House is expected to vote on Friday on a package of trade bills, including fast-track, which would streamline trade agreements like the 12-nation TPP that is nearing completion. 

Trumka said he expects the efforts of the AFL-CIO and other like-minded groups to stop fast-track from passing. 

"I think we're going to win on Friday," he said Wednesday on MSNBC. "I think we have the votes, but we'll see. It will be a very close vote."

The White House has struggled to build support in the House among Democrats, with many of them coming under intense pressure to vote against fast-track from liberal groups and labor unions. 

So far, 19 House Democrats have publicly said that they support the bill.

As the House nears a vote, letters of support and opposition are pouring into congressional offices. 

The AFL-CIO also sent out a letter to all lawmakers on Wednesday asking them to reject the Trade Adjustment Assistance bill for several reasons, including that it is paid for using a cut in Medicare. 

The AFL-CIO has vowed to punish Democrats who back the trade bill in the next election.

They have already launched ad campaigns against Reps. Ami Bera (D-Calif.) and Kathleen Rice (D-N.Y.), who both support fast-track. 

 
 
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